Jaguars rally past Titans to claim AFC South crown
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars are AFC South champions for the first time in five years, a title secured with a 20-16 victory against rival Tennessee on Saturday night in a game that turned on Josh Allen's 37-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 2:51 remaining.
Rayshawn Jenkins forced Josh Dobbs’ fumble, and Allen scooped up the bouncing ball and ran, untouched, the other way for a lead that held up in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Dobbs fumbled again on the ensuing possession, and the Jaguars (9-8) started to celebrate their most significant regular-season victory in franchise history.
“This was one of those games where our defense had to win it for us,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. "Us guys on offense, we’re a little frustrated because we left a lot out there. But in these games, just win. Our defense picked us up today. They played great.”
Jacksonville earned the No. 4 seed in the conference playoffs and will host either the Los Angeles Chargers or Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round next weekend.
Jacksonville closed the regular season with its fifth consecutive victory and became the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a fivegame losing streak and a fivegame winning streak in the same season.
Mahomes, Chiefs secure AFC’s top seed
Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for most passing and rushing yards in a season, and the Kansas City Chiefs rolled to a 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas to lock up the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed.
Mahomes passed for 202 yards and rushed for 29 against the Raiders, giving him 5,608 total yards for the season. That surpassed the record of 5,562 yards set by Drew Brees in 2011 with the New Orleans Saints.
More than setting the mark, Mahomes helped ensure the top seed for the Chiefs (14-3) and a bye in the first round of the playoffs, which begin next weekend. Kansas City, however, is not assured of home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Because Monday night’s Buffalo-Cincinnati game was canceled, the Chiefs could wind up playing the Bills or Bengals in the AFC championship on a neutral field. The Buffalo-Cincinnati game initially was postponed after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. Hamlin remains in critical condition, but is improving.
The Raiders (6-11) ended their first season under coach Josh McDaniels with three consecutive losses and four defeats in five games.
Clowney left behind for season’s finale
Jadeveon Clowney’s season is officially over — not that there was much of a question.
The Cleveland Browns did not bring Clowney on their trip to Pittsburgh for the season finale after the defensive end was sent home from practice Friday for biting remarks he made about the organization and coaching staff.
Before departing Saturday, the Browns officially downgraded Clowney to out.
Coach Kevin Stefanski was intentionally vague Friday about Clowney’s standing, but intimated the Browns were moving forward without him by saying, “Nothing comes above the team.”